Why I decided to transform

I was chubby growing up but really packed on weight during high school because I used food as an emotional support base. By age 17, my eating was out of control.

My parents were active, but their attempts to get me to exercise were useless. Then, one day, I was sick of being the funny, fat girl. I wanted to shop at stores with my girlfriends and get asked to prom.

My fitness journey started slow. I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day and cut back on junk food. When I saw the scale go down, I became more motivated to stick to it. My parents were thrilled and I was happy for myself.

During the next couple years, I continued to challenge myself on DVD workout programs, yoga, and spin classes. Fitness replaced food and became my new healthy addiction.

I’m much happier now and do whatever it takes to encourage others to make changes for the better. I’m a personal trainer and take great pride in transforming the lives of others.

How I accomplished my goals

In the beginning, I only utilized cardio for weight loss and switched between walking, jogging, and the elliptical. As I progressed, I added in circuit weight and core training and group fitness programs. I got my weight down, but lost lots of muscle from too much cardio and inadequate nutrition. I needed a new challenge and turned to lifting.

I thought lifting would make me big and bulky, but it actually gave me curves and wasn’t boring. I challenge myself by adding more weight and volume to stay continuously engaged. It made me feel strong inside and out. The confidence I gained from lifting is the biggest benefit.

Superset

What aspect challenged me the most

Dieting is the most challenging aspect because I love food. It’s hard to turn down my favorites, but I’m not hard on myself anymore. I got over the fear that I will gain the weight back and let myself splurge on occasional cheat meals. Meal prep can be tedious, but it’s worth it.

“Be patient. It’s hard advice to swallow, but it’s the truth.”

My future fitness plans

I became a personal trainer in 2013 and it has been the most rewarding endeavor of my life. It allows me to challenge myself and gives me power to challenge others.

Maintaining health comes first, but I’ve become a more aesthetic-based trainer. I would never have dreamed of entering a bodybuilding competition before but am happy to say that I will enter one this year.

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

Be patient. It’s hard advice to swallow, but it’s the truth. You didn’t gain weight overnight and you can’t expect to lose it overnight. Keep your goal in mind and set small goals to stay engaged and hopeful. If you want to lose 50 pounds in six months, focus to lose 1-2 pounds per week.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Bodybuilding.com provided me with great supplements to fuel my body and is an indispensable source of education. When I first started lifting weights, I learned from Bodybuilding.com videos, tutorials, and the forums. I recommend Bodybuilding.com to my clients and will be an avid user for life.

Vital Stats

Look at him now and it’s a hard sell to believe that Joshua Dakin was bullied as a kid. Just imagine the pills of those bullies if they tried that trash today! Now that he’s a strapping hulk, crushing massive weight in powerlifting’s core lifts, no one gives him anything but compliments.

But back in middle school Josh was overweight, and bullied for it. He avoided sports and didn’t start a regular exercise routine until he was in high school. The gym gave him an escape from the trash talk, but he also found that in the weight room, he could achieve impressive feats and take control of his body for the first time.

“I had to find out how to train properly through trial and error,” Dakin says. “As high school progressed, it became clear I was abnormally strong—especially with deadlift and squat—compared to the other athletes and football players. I leaned down as time went by and became more interested in fitness because I liked that I wasn’t looking chubby anymore. I looked better, and as a result, I felt better.”

With his new physique and strength, Josh enlisted in the Marine Corps. Everything was progressing well until boot camp, when he fell ill with a severe case of pneumonia. That’s not the sort of environment where quitting is acceptable, so he refused to stop training. “I completed a 3-mile run with a 109-degree temperature, before finally collapsing, not responding to anyone,” Josh says. “That’s the last I remember before waking up in a hospital.”

The heatstroke caused by the fever damaged his internal organs. “They pretty much all were literally boiled internally,” He says. The incident and the damage to his vital organs led to a month in the hospital, another two months in rehab, and, unfortunately a medical discharge from the corps.

“When I came home after being discharged I was incredibly weak,” Josh says. “I dropped more than 30 pounds in the month after the heatstroke occurred and could barely stand for more than 30 minutes at a time before feeling like my legs were going to give out. This was the most depressing time in my life. I had to rebuild my body from scratch.”

He did just that, and three years later, Josh tested his hard work when he competed in his first powerlifting competition in Idaho. He didn’t know what to expect, but he ended up taking first place overall. That victory, and his new passion for powerlifting, set him on a course to join Bodybuilding.com and further advance his career in and out of the weight room.

QWhat is your position at Bodybuilding.com? How long have you worked here?

I am currently a customer service representative in the call center. I have been here just over a year, and honestly I love every minute of it. We take care of our customers.

What was your fitness level before working at Bodybuilding.com? What is your competition history like?

I was pretty active. I was lifting daily and sticking to my training routines. I will admit that my nutrition wasn’t that great though. I will say that I’ve significantly improved since I’ve been working here.

“To date, I have competed in four different powerlifting events. I also utilize some strongman exercises for conditioning, and I have my eyes on doing a bodybuilding show within the next year.”

To date, I have competed in four different powerlifting events. I also utilize some strongman exercises for conditioning, and I have my eyes on doing a bodybuilding show within the next year. I don’t really like to flaunt my strength. I try to not look like I’m searching for attention when I train.

What is it like working at Bodybuilding.com? How does it create a helpful fitness environment?

Honestly, it’s awesome! I love coming to work—even on my days off, just to train. The environment here is unlike any job I’ve had. Everyone is extremely supportive of their peers—especially the people competing or who have physical goals. We keep each other motivated and offer a hand to help one another out when possible.

What do you think of the new gym in the corporate office? Is it missing anything you need?

The gym is pretty sweet. I think we need more cowbell, j/k. But we could maybe use a prowler sled that we could push in the parking lot and a tire to flip when the weather warms up. Those are great conditioning tools; I found that they actually make conditioning fun, opposed to being on a stair-stepper for 30 minutes.

How does the Bodybuilding.com environment influence your health, fitness and appearance goals?

Our environment provides the support we need when we begin to feel overwhelmed. It’s honestly very cool that we have a job that supports its employees in this field.

Do you get asked for advice in the gym often?

I get asked about how to squat or deadlift properly almost daily actually! I don’t mind coaching anyone seeking help on their form. I actually take it as a compliment that they trust my opinion.

You’re still pretty young Josh, and are years from your prime. Do you think you’re on pace to maybe go pro some day?

In powerlifting, I honestly think I may have what it takes. I have some goals I’ve set this year and they appear to be on the horizon of being met very soon. If I meet them I may be able to compete on the pro level. If this happened, it would only be more motivation to train harder and continue to improve.

“I have some goals I’ve set this year and they appear to be on the horizon of being met very soon.”

Can you point out a moment in the gym when a co-worker asked you for advice?

What is your strategy when you are contacted by a customer? Honestly, paying full attention to the customer, just showing them we are here to help them to the best of our ability. Not a lot of companies allow their employees to do this and tend to be completely policy-driven. We legitimately care about our customers and will take care of them.

What is more important to you: looking good or being strong?

I like to try to balance it out. I’m not as ripped as some of the guys here, but I’m working on it. Being strong is a priority to me because it’s what I do, but I won’t use strength training as a reason to diet poorly and neglect basic conditioning. I want to try bodybuilding out because I believe these two goals can be balanced and will benefit each other if you know what you’re doing.

“Being strong is a priority to me because it’s what I do, but I won’t use strength training as a reason to diet poorly and neglect basic conditioning.”

Have you participated in the employee transformation challenge? How did that experience affect your life?

I am actually currently participating in it at the moment. I get compliments daily that I am looking way more lean and defined than prior. It honestly keeps me going, knowing I’m making progress. I’ve never made so much progress before, and it’s because of this support. It’s awesome.

Why I decided to transform

I was extremely obese growing up. I ate too much and had an addiction to food. At age 18, I went to the doctor after getting sick and weighed 469 pounds. I couldn’t eat whole foods for a few weeks and lost weight from being sick. That’s when I decided to keep it going and lose more weight.

My desire to join the military also motivated me to lose weight. I lost a little bit of fat but stayed around 435 pounds. After I tuned 19 years old, my dad hurt his ankle and went to a physical trainer. My dad proceeded to tell the trainer about me and asked if I could be helped.

On March 2, 2011, I met my physical trainer, Dave Greene. At the time, I weighed 433 pounds with 55 percent body fat. He built a meal and exercise plan for me and it worked. It was difficult at first and seemed like I would never reach my goal.

After about a month with my trainer and meal plan, I started to see the weight come off. I dove into exercise, learned about healthy living, and it completely changed my life.

Three years later, I joined the U.S. Navy when I became physically fit enough. I was 190 pounds with 8 percent body fat. I lost 281 pounds and 47 percent body fat thanks to my trainer. I couldn’t believe the hard work paid off.

I should thank my dad for hurting his ankle and leading me to a physical trainer. My life is much different now. I can play sports and have energy to be active. My self-esteem and confidence are high and I always notice little things I do now that I couldn’t before. Now I fit in restaurant booths, airplanes, and rollercoaster’s. I can shop at regular clothing stores now and don’t have to worry about breaking chairs.

How I accomplished my goals

After starting my meal and exercise plan, I started to think it was possible to lose the weight. I tried many times before but nothing worked. When I realized it would take the gym, a change in eating habits, and a lifestyle overhaul, I realized I could accomplish my goals.

I met once per week with my physical trainer to check my weight and make changes if needed. It helped me stay accountable and was encouraging. After every meeting, I got more into fitness and it slowly became a lifestyle. I started researching workout routines and meal plans on Bodybuilding.com to see how other people accomplished their goals.

“My self-esteem and confidence are high and I always notice little things I do now that I couldn’t before.”

My dad told me to write down my goals with achievement dates and read them every day when I woke up, which kept me motivated. I love learning about nutrition and fitness and believe that helped me stay motivated and on track for. Throughout everything, I kept the image of myself in a military uniform in my head.

Time flew by during the past few years. I cannot thank my parents, family, friends, and physical trainer, Dave, enough for the help and encouragement.

Training regimen that kept me on track

When I first started, I was only able to walk on a treadmill, but I quickly built up my ability to exercise and slowly increased the amount over time. I also started boxing and playing basketball with my friends.

Superset

What aspect challenged me the most

I quickly fell in love with the gym. The most difficult part was going out with friends at restaurants when I couldn’t eat. I built strong discipline and self-control in the past few years.

My future fitness plans

I’m trying to build more muscle now that the fat is gone. I still run a lot because I like to maintain my cardio for the military. Fitness will always be part of my life.

I would like to become a physical trainer or nutritionist to help others. I learned a lot and can help people who are trying to lose weight. I experienced many ups and down during my journey and would love to share and help others who struggle too.

“Write down your goals, set a date to reach them, and read them to yourself every day.”

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

Write down your goals, set a date to reach them, and read them to yourself every day. Make sure to journal your workouts and food so you can track improvement.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Bodybuilding.com is the best website I found during my fitness journey. It has so much information and is stocked with encouraging people. Every workout plan I need is on Bodybuilding.com.

The articles pump me up to go to the gym and motivate me. I read the articles about nutrition mostly. I learned many recipes and ideas for cooking and baking.

I thank Bodybuilding.com for the motivation and information to help me accomplish my weight loss and fitness goals.

Vital Stats

QHow did your bodybuilding journey begin?

I started training at the university gym in Ottawa, Canada, in 2004 at 160 pounds. My friends introduced me to bodybuilding training, diet, and supplementation. I remember getting my first look at the Arnold Encyclopedia. Seeing huge guys in print brought back childhood memories of heroes and the cool role models of the 80s. Initially, I wanted to get bigger than my roommate in the spirit of healthy competition but it became much more.

I have an addictive personality and lifting became my healthy addiction. I stopped smoking first and then stopped drinking and started eating well later. In my first six years of training, I bulked up with lots of muscle, but had high body fat. I was 280 pounds before I realized that I looked more like the incredible bulk than the Incredible Hulk. This started my itch to lift competitively.

I was at a stage in life when I needed a new goal. I just graduated from college and settled into my career. Initially, I trained for powerlifting meets. My first was a raw bench meet in Waterloo, Ontario, where I placed second overall. I was interested in bodybuilding but never intended to compete until I watched my friend compete in 2011. After his show, I decided to become a bodybuilder.

I didn’t know how much mental, physical, and psychological change was required to become a successful bodybuilder. I adopted new eating habits, training philosophies, and made lifestyle changes. In 2012, I stepped on stage in London, Ottawa, Ontario, at 218 pounds. My first season was a learning experience that helped me realize what needed to be done to make it to the next level of competition. In 2013, I stepped on stage as a conditioned heavyweight in Couberg, Ontario, where I clenched the provincial qualifying spot after a third place finish.

Cool Fact

Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has several vocational rehabilitation designations!

What workout regimen delivered the best results?

I like to hit a muscle group with at least six exercises with a minimum of 4 sets at 8-10 reps and a maximum of 10 sets at 10 reps per exercise. I can do phenomenal things with my chest and lift high volume with high weight. My back can also handle this kind of training. I hit arms and legs with high frequency and moderate weight at 12-20 reps. Here is my pre-contest training routine.

What Supplements Gave You The Greatest Gains?

How did your passion for bodybuilding emerge?

Bodybuilding is a lifestyle, passion, art, sport, and a form of entertainment. This is what makes bodybuilding attractive. When people ask how my show prep is going, I say that I love every second of it. I take pride for declining everyday pleasures and delaying short-term gratification. The best part of bodybuilding is that the gratification isn’t winning the class or the show, it’s getting there and being the best you can be on stage.

What motivated you to be a bodybuilder?

New goals motivate me to be a bodybuilder. Dreaming and taking action to make that dream come true is one of the best feelings. The results are enough to keep me motivated.

“Taking action to make your dream come true is one of the best feelings.”

Where did you go for inspiration?

I love the friends I met at the gym. They’re the most loyal and honest people I know. We have a sense of community that can’t be broken. They inspire me every day.

“I plan to take a year off and perfect my physique so I can blow everyone away when I hit the stage in June 2015.”

What are your future bodybuilding plans?

I qualified for the Ontario Provincial contest by placing third in the combined heavy and super heavyweight class in Cobourg, Ontario. I came in at 224 pounds with 5 percent body fat and looked great in terms of overall symmetry, strength, and leanness.

I plan to take a year off and perfect my physique so I can blow everyone away when I hit the stage in June 2015. There, I hope to qualify for the Canadian National Contest.

What is the most important bodybuilding tip?

Fun isn’t the result, it’s the process.

Who is your favorite bodybuilder?

I don’t have a favorite bodybuilder. I respect what many bodybuilders contributed to the sport. Arnold introduced bodybuilding to the mainstream and had an iconic personality. I respect Frank Zane for brining classic physiques to bodybuilding. Dorian Yates broke the mold and paved the way for the new generation of bodybuilders. I also like Kai Greene because of his humble and perseverant personality.

Paige Hathaway

PLEASE READ: Life is your greatest teacher. Annoyance teaches you patience. Abandonment teaches you how to stand on your own two feet. Anger teaches you forgiveness and compassion. Anything that has power over you teaches you how to get power back. Hate teaches you unconditional love. Fear teaches you courage and anything you can’t control teaches you how to let go...

I have learned many things in life from allowing my experiences to shape me. I firmly believe that life tests our strengths and equip us to endure what our future has in store. Heartache, hardship and physical turmoil are all just tests. Life won’t allow us to go through things that it knows we can’t handle. The question is WILL YOU BE STRONG ENOUGH to fight the battle? Will you let the storms of life pass and allow yourself to become a better person because of it... You can let life to be your greatest teacher or you can let life defeat you because of it. ✨🐛🦋 #MondayMotivation

Your right on point, besides persevering through a catastrophic accident I have learned how to forgive more and inspire others that need help.

10 - 1 day 2 hours ago

PLEASE READ: Hmmm Without contradicting you, because I respect you. Maybe we could look at this another way. Life teachers you nothing, life is just time. Your actions over time mould your character. We are obviously here to learn. Abandonment teaches you where to place your love. Anger teaches you how to function with control. Nothing has power over you unless you submit. Hate is an internal justice mechanism, it is perfectly justified to hate injustice or cruelty etc. Fear is a survival mechanism, it is up to us to discern the amount of danger associated with the fear. Ultimately, we can control nothing but ourselves and our actions. We are what we do. There is heaps more...But see ya next time. ♥️

3 - 22 hours 41 minutes ago

Yo gorgeous, how was Cleveland? Did it treat you right. All you had to do is text me and I would have been there. I guess there is always next time... Rawr

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